Mixing valve



Oct. 2], 1952 F. PARKER 2,614,851

MIXING VALVE Filed June 15, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 NY 05"") yr INVENTOR. FRANK H. PARKER ATTORNE Y Oct. 21, 1952 PARKER 2,614,851

MIXING VALVE Filed June 15, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. FRANK H. BARKER ATIOFNEY 01:1. 21, 1952 F PARKER 2,614,851

' MIXING VALVE Filed June 15, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. FRANK H. PARKER Patented Oct. 21; v 1952 signoruofxone-ehalf t'o StephemC. EReplin,r doing;v business-was Lakewood 1. Manufacturing 00.3w

Westlake; Ohio This invention relates general I to mixing:- valves-wand-i more particularly to improvements in combination hot and cold water faucets and shower attachments.

OnecOfthe primary objectsmfthe invention isl-todprovidessuch-a--faucet, having-a single dis a charge outlet, with" manual control whereby, with" the simple manipulation with the means same vhand; the operator may control the pro-' portion' of-flow of hot and cold water, even :to 10"threaded"-valve-'seats and 5' in screw ithreadsthelexclusi'on ofeach other, and also control 6 andfl-"inztheeasing Actually,-auxiliaryort the-Jover-all pressure volume "of flow through the mixing;='valves and 9' are installedsimultaneedisohargeoutlet; ously With-their plugaseatsd 'and 5. The plu'g "Another object 'is to-'so combine such manual seats l end 5 may be providedwith "-packing tw control as to be convenientfor operationby one m-seals:lfl andnl I. it The top end of ithe'casingris handandatihe same time so independent of internally'screw threaded to "receiveva closure each other-wasto not'interferewith each other plug l2." either as tomanual control or in their own func- Thisclosureplug I2 is bored to receivea sl-idtions'. l able tubular sleeve l3, 'having its upperrreduced Anotherobject' -isto provide in such a faucet"2fl portion l3t of hexagonal c-rosssection;and proa mixing-valve means with an automaticsealvide'd with"a-packing ring14l- Sleeve |3is bored-" ingmeans fen-preventingmixture of hot water t to receive a round rotatable stems lfi provide'd flow in thelcold water pressure line, or vice with awpacklng'ring 46. Plugelz has tits-upper versa; regardless of prevailing*differential prespo'rtion' externally threaded to receive a-ibarrel w sures-in the twolines-.- 41 which surrounds stem' l'5 and rests on top t? A further object is to provide sucha faucet sleeve-13. Integral :with barrel I1 is a -mu'lti-w in which all parts, including operating-stems, pronged =handle l8l Removably secured toithe valves 11 and valve 1 seats may be installed; retopiof rod l by a set screw ltl is a singlexprongrc moved 'andreplaced'witnthemaximum of*ease. handle 'zlllt l h'e -bottomofsleeve l3 carriess-aw l till. further object is to provide in such a main closure valve2I for th'e -discharge eham-s construction" an: arrangement whereby forces ber 22 whichnommunicates-with O e P 1 existhitending to closethe mixture and volume Integralivith thle bbttom of stem H5 is a cam? control valves-but controllable by the-respectiveand betweenthetsame and main'valve Zl is: manual controlsto :open the valves to any dev a compression coil spring 25. With these partsgreelofadiustmentrw -installd=iri-plug l2; the-latter is screw-threaded Fig urei l is a -view in -verticalsection taken' into-the upperuopen end "ofcasingl against throug l'l' a faucet showing -one form my inven'e the packing ring IBl tioin 'may take land-showing the main volume 1 Each auxiliary'valvepfl and-9j is-of'-the float control-liralve open'and 'one ofthe' auxiliary rnixing, or -'shuttle,-type-having radi'alfifins 29j a top: ing valves:open and the other closed; button-$0 anda solidclosure disc 3 I: The val-ve Figure 2 arsimi'la'r view showing the -.-same is --so installed that its closure disc isadisposed' setting oi vzztheuauxiliary:valves arid' the main* for movement between its plugseat, 4*or Gian-d3 valve open; its bottorrrseat =32 which isa part" of the'casingr Figure 3 is a top-plan viewof thefaucet show P i p i g z l in'ge'th'e twowoperating handles -and the swivel erts 'an upward' pressure on main valve 21l tosuitabley for ordinary -i 'aucetsnswhile vthat rform shown: in Figure 5 m'ayw be more particularly suitable as a shower attachnijentz Referring--more par-ticularly to the drawingsthe faucet, sas shown: in Figures-"l and: 2; in-=.--

cludes .a casing-I provided with passages =2 ands 3 communicating respectively with "a hot and 5a cold waterrpressure dines With the top of case mg: I being open; I may easily insert screwward -its "seat and a downward pressure on cam" 24.? Carri n =-is provided with ian adjustablecem, terin'g-pin*'-33"'*whieh engages a" suitable cletent in the casingw This -pin is so adjusted that the bottom of the-cam disc 24 may contact 'the but tons of the auxiliary valves .8 and 9-"and'yet leave proper 1cl'earance-g34 betweengthe operatingfyhan= ,1 I flaws-shown*i Ffi ures 1' 1104,: inclusive, ana 's 8- amiw t im ftb ei m meme-especially m Figures rand 2;"on'e form" be opem le e de "Qta h*"o herxwithou' 1' my invention may take which is particularly'"binding. As showmin Figures-"1ancl2,-c1 ai Figure 4 view in -section taken along lined- 4015 Figure-Mani Figure S-i's-a viewih vertical section through another mform -of myinvention Where the aux iliarirnix-ingfvalvesaare horizontally-disposedz" Rferringwmore yparticularly; *to the n'drawingsr ances are provided between shoulder 21 of plug I2 and the adjacent shoulder of sleeve [3 and also between internal shoulder 28 of sleeve I3 and the adjacent shoulder of stem 15 to permit vertical adjustment of sleeve I3 with respect to stationary plug I2 and rotatable stem I5.

Normal pressure in the hot and cold water pressure lines urges auxiliary shuttle valves 8 and 9, respectively, toward their plug seats t and 5 to close communication from the lines to a mixing chamber 35, the communication of which with the discharge chamber 22 is regulated by main valve 2 I. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the cam 24, being integral with rotatable stem I5, is in the form of a circular disc with a cammed bottom and a fiat top, the thickness of the disc progressively varying from a maximum thickness to a minimum thinness.

In operation, the main valve 2! may be left closed, as shown in Figure 1, while handle 20 is rotated along a suitable scale to a. desired mixture of hot and cold water. As handle 25 is rotatedthe cam 24, which embraces the top buttons of both auxiliary valves, proportionally forces one valve down to open position against water pressure while permitting the other to move toward closing position against its plug seat. In the illustration of Figure 1, an extreme adjustment is shown wherein valve 8 completely closes hot water flow to the mixing chamber while valve 9 is open to permit cold water flow into the mixing chamber 35. It is to be understood that thecold water line may be similarly closed while the hot water line is opened, and that any desired mixture of the two may be obtained by rotatable adjustment of the handle 20 and consequently its cam 25. As stated before, a rotation of handle 20 and cam 25 is entirely independent of sleeve I3 and handle I8 and has no effect on the operation of the main volume control valve 2|.

Having made proper adjustment for hot and cold water mixture, the next step may be to rotate handle I8 for volume discharge control. Rotation of handle I8, in the proper direction to open main valve 2!, causes the inner flange 35 of barrel H, which rests on the top of the hexagonal sleeve I3, to force the latter and its integral sleeve I3 downwardly against the action of spring 25 to open main valve 2|, as shown in Figure 2. This operation of hande I8, main valve 2| and its. sleeve I3 is likewise entirely independent of handle 20, stem I5, cam 24 and the auxiliary valves 8 and 9. The adjustment of main valve 2| controls the volume of flow from mixing chamber 35 to discharge chamber 22 and out through discharge spout 23. It is to be understood that even while the main valve 2I is a open, as shown in Figure 2, adjustment may be made of the cam 24 to change the proportion of hot and cold water mixture.

In order to make my invention suitable for all purposes I may slightly modify the construction of Figures 1 and 2, which is particularly suitable for faucets, to aform shown in Figure 5, which may be more suitable for shower attachments. The main point of difference in construction lies in the horizontal disposition of the two auxiliary shuttle mixing valves, the construction of the cam and the installation of these valves in thecasing.

In ,Figure 5 the installation of the two handles, sleeve I3 and stem I5 into plug. I2and the latter into casing. I is essentially the same. The installation of the two auxiliary valves 8 and 9, which are horizontally disposed, is diiferent. The casing has two horizontal hollow extensions 31 and 38 to be in communication with hot and cold water pressure lines 2 and 3, respectively. The two valves 8 and 9 are first inserted through the open ends of extentions 31 and 38 toward casing seats 39 and 40, after which screw plugs 4| and 42, carrying plug seats .3 and. M, are screwed into the extension ends. The cam 45, instead of being a cammed bottom disc, is an edge cam rigid with rotatable stem I5. Pressure in lines 2 and 3 tends to urge valves 8 and 9 inwardly toward their casing seats 38 and 45 to close communication between lines 2 and 3 and the mixing chamber 35. Rotation of handle I3 independently operates main valve 2| for volume discharge control. Rotation of handle 20 and its stem I5 rotates cam I5, whose cam edge operates the two valves 8 and 9 in the same manner as the cammed bottom disc 24 of Figures 1 and 2. In the particular example shown in Figure 5, the hot water line is open, the cold water line closed and .the volume control valve 2I open for discharge flow of hot water.

In both modifications, whether thatof Figure l or 5, an important feature of my invention is the provision of means for preventing mixture of hot water in. the cold water line, or vice versa, should th pressures in the two lines suddenly vary in proportion. Should. this occur in my device, the auxiliary shuttle valve regulating the, line in which the pressure drop occurs will be forced against its seat adjacent the inlet of the line by the relatively greater pressure of the other line to prevent flow of hot water into the cold water line, or vice versa.

In both modifications, simplicity of construction and ease of installation, removal and re placement of parts has been emphasized. Also there has been emphasized the fact that the two 1. In a faucet having a casing, a mixing cham:

her and a discharge chamber communicating therewith, a pair of fluid pressure lines leading to said mixing chamber and a common outlet from said discharge chamber, a pair of auxiliary valves, one between each of said pressure lines and said mixing chamber and a main valve between said mixing chamber and discharge chamber, a pair of independently manually operable controls, one for operating said pair of auxiliary valves for regulating the proportion of fluid flow from said lines into said mixing chamber and the other manual control for operating said main valve to control the volume-of discharge outlet fluid flow, said manual controls comprising rotatable handles adjacently arranged for reciprocably adjusting said main valve and a rotatable stem arrangedconcentrically of the stem. of said main valve and operated by the other handle for reciprocably adjusting said auxiliary valves, the

stem for operating said auxiliary valves including a rotatable cam adapted to engage both of said auxiliary valves to simultaneously open said valves in differing degrees, resilient means interposed between said cam and said main valve for urging said main valve toward closed position and said cam into engagement with valves.

said auxiliary 2. In a faucet having a casing, a mixing chamtherewith, a pair of fluid pressure lines leading to said mixing chamber and a common outlet from said discharge chamber, a pair of auxiliary valves, one between each of said pressure lines and said mixing chamber and a main valve between said mixing chamber and discharge chamber, a pair of independently manually operable controls, one for operating said pair of auxiliary valves for regulating the proportion of fluid flow from said lines into said mixing chamber and the other manual control for operating said main valve to control the volume of discharge outlet fluid flow, said manual controls comprising rotatable handles adjacently arranged for reciprocably adjusting saidmain valve and a rotatable stem arranged concentrically of the stem of said main valve and operated by the other handle for reciprocably adjusting said auxiliary valves, the stem for operating said auxiliary valves including a rotatable cam adapted to engage both of said auxiliary valves to simultaneously open said valves in difiering degrees, resilient means interposed between said cam and said main valve for urging said main valve toward closed position and said cam into engagement with said auxiliary valves, said main valve being urged toward its seat by existing fluid pressure in said mixing chamber.

3. In a faucet having a casing, a mixing chamber and a discharge chamber communicating therewith, a pair of fluid pressure lines leading to said mixing chamber and a common outlet from said discharge chamber; a pair of auxiliary valves, one between each of said pressure lines and said mixing chamber and a main valve between said mixing chamber and discharge chamber, a pair of independently manually operable controls, one for operating said pair of auxiliary valves for regulating the proportion of fluid flow from said lines into said mixing chamber and the other manual control for operating said main valve to control the volume of discharge outlet fluid flow, said manual controls comprising rotatable handles adjacently arranged for single hand operation, a reciprocable valve stem operated by one handle for reciprocably adjusting said main valve and a rotatable stem arranged concentrically of said main valve stem and operated by the other handle for reciprocably adjusting said auxiliary valves, each of said auxiliary valves being of the floating shuttle type mounted for limited movement between a pair of opposed seats and normally urged by pressure in its pressure line to engage one seat to close flow from its line to said mixing chamber and adapted upon drop in pressure in that line to engage its other seat to close communication between said pressure line and the other pressure line, the stem for operating said auxiliary valves including a rotatable cam adapted to engage both of said auxiliary valves to simultaneously open said valves in differing degrees, resilient means interposed between said cam and said main valve for urging said main valve toward closed position and said cam into engagement with said auxiliary valves.

4. In a faucet having a casing, a mixing chamber and a discharge chamber communicating therewith, a pair of fluid pressure lines leading to said mixing chamber and a common outlet from said discharge chamber, a pair of auxiliary valves, one between each of said pressure lines and said mixing chamber and a main valve between said mixing chamber and discharge chamber, a pair of independently manually operable controls, one for operating said pair of auxiliary valves for regulating the proportion of fluid flow from said lines into said mixing chamber and the other manual control for operating said main valve to control the volume of discharge outlet fluid flow, said manual controls comprising rotatable handles adjacently arranged for single hand operation, a reciprocable valve stem operated by one handle for reciprocably adjusting said main valve and a rotatable stem arranged concentrically of the stem of said main valve and operated by the other handle for reciprocably adjusting said auxiliary valves, each of said auxiliary valves being of the floating shuttle type mounted for limited .movement between a pair of opposed seats and normally urged by pressure in its pressure line to engage one seat to close flow f rom its line to said mixing chamber and adapted upon drop in pressure in that line to engageits other seat to close communication between said pressure line and the other pressure line, the stem for operating said auxiliary valves including a rotatable cam adapted to engage both of said auxiliary valves to simultaneously open said valves in differing degrees, resilient means interposed between said cam and said main valve for urging said main valve also toward closed position and said cam into engagement with said auxiliary valves, said main valve also being urged toward its seat by existing fluid pressure in said mixing chamber.

FRANK H. PARKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Switzerland Nov. 30,. 1930 

